Warm overnight temperatures set records in South Florida

Summer-like weather returned to South Florida early this week, but late autumn temperatures are back on the menu for Thanksgiving Day.

Palm Beach International Airport tied a 108-year-old record Sunday for the warmest minimum temperature on Nov. 23 — 75 degrees. The low was only 78 in Fort Lauderdale, breaking the previous mark of 75 set in 1998.

The high at PBIA Sunday was 83, well off the record of 89 set in 1948.

The low at both PBIA and in Palm Beach this morning was 77, which could beat the Nov. 24 record high minimum of 76 set in 1992.

Forecasters said a cold front due Wednesday should drive low temperatures down to around 58 by Thursday morning, with a high on the island of only 68 under sunny skies and breezy north winds gusting to 25 mph.

After that, a slow warming trend will bring temperatures closer to the normal range in time for the weekend.

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HURRICANE SEASON WRAP: NOAA issued its report on the 2014 hurricane season today, crediting wind shear and dry air in the Atlantic for the slowest year since 1997. There were eight named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

“A combination of atmospheric conditions acted to suppress the Atlantic hurricane season, including very strong vertical wind shear, combined with increased atmospheric stability, stronger sinking motion and drier air across the tropical Atlantic,” said NOAA’s lead hurricane forecaster, Gerry Bell.

“Also, the West African monsoon was near- to below average, making it more difficult for African easterly waves to develop.”

The season officially ends next Sunday Nov. 30. But forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami aren’t tracking any suspicious areas, and no storm development is expected over the next five days.

A December storm is unlikely but not impossible.

Meanwhile, there were 20 named storms in the North Pacific, the most since 1992. There were 14 hurricanes and eight major hurricanes. Two of those storms, Odile and Simon, brought heavy rain to the Desert Southwest.